When it comes to securing your new contracting job, a well put together CV is crucial. Contracting is a competitive industry, with many choosing to take the plunge and become their own boss. How can you make sure you stand out?

At Kingsbridge, we’ve come up with a short guide to writing a killer CV. Hopefully, our pointers will help you to secure your next job!

Write your CV for the job you’re applying for

We don’t suggest completely re-writing your CV each time you apply for a new role, but you should certainly move around the sections within your CV to ensure the most relevant experience for this particular position shines through from the beginning. Rewriting your introductory lines is a must for each job role. Just a few sentences about what makes you perfect for the job straight off the bat can help create the best first impression.

Keep the content short and snappy

Imagine you were sifting through a pile of CVs, trying to decide who to interview or who to take a second glance at. You probably haven’t got the time to read all the CVs, all of the work experience and so on. So if that’s the format of your CV, you need to re-think it. You need something that is easily digestible. Try using clear sub-headings throughout your CV and bullet point your work experience for each job.

Don’t lose sight of what your CV is for

You need to always remember that your CV is a document to tell the employer that you have the experience they require for a particular job. Highlighting the basics such as past significant results, achievements and relevant qualifications, is all you really need to include. Your CV is there to get you that interview. Once you’re through the doors then you can truly wow them with the ins and outs of your experience (not to mention your dazzling personality!)

Check your spelling and grammar more than once

There’s nothing that screams lack of attention more than basic spelling and grammatical errors. Research conducted by Adzuna, the jobs search engine, showed that the most common spelling errors made were the words ‘responsibility’, ‘liaise’, ‘university’, ‘experience’, ‘speciality’, ‘achievement’ and ‘communication’. Make sure you don’t fall into the same trap.

As a contractor, you might not have anyone immediately on hand to check your spelling and grammar – aside from Microsoft Word. There are many great grammar tools out there. One of the best we’ve come across is Grammarly – it’s free to use, too! Using such tools allows you to give your CV that final once over, from missed commas and hyphens to misspelt or incorrect use of words.

Don’t just mention your permanent work experience

You need to make sure you’re shouting about any successful contracting projects you’ve already worked on. If you’re just starting out, it’s important you make a note of every project you complete, the results and exactly how you helped them achieve these results. Just keeping a list of each will make it easier to pick and choose projects to add into your next CV when you’re applying for a contracting job.

Extra tip!

Try and avoid using the third person throughout your CV as it can come off a little distant. You’re trying to make a connection with the person reading your CV so don’t be afraid to let your personality shine through your words!